It is a little-known fact that gospel music is an offshoot of blues, but gospel has its own vocabulary and nuances. Building on the legacy of guitarists such as Rev. Gary Davis, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Blind Connie Williams and Howard Carroll of the Dixie Hummingbirds, this workshop addresses many of the complexities of using the guitar for sacred music.

In this workshop, we'll explore concepts like movable chord shapes, utilizing major and minor pentatonic scales, the use of the relative minor, picking patterns, phrasing, bass lines, right hand technique and other things that give this important style of American roots music such flavor.

Participants will receive take-home materials such as tablature, chord charts and listening recommendations. Although many of these concepts are adaptable to electric guitar, participants are asked to bring a six-string acoustic and to have a familiarity with basic first position chords.

Reverend Robert Jones, Sr., is a singer, storyteller and self-taught multi-instrumentalist. He uses folk, blues, spirituals and other American roots music to champion the beauty and power of our shared culture. A lifelong Detroiter, Rev. Jones has been performing professionally for nearly 30 years for festivals, schools, civil rights organizations and churches.